Jack commentates himself all the way to the final at the European Mini Football Championships

Minifootball national teams from across Europe gathered in Kiev from 12-18 August for the European Mini Football Championships with Czech Republic coming out on top in the Ukrainian capital.

UCFB student Jack Towers – who studies BA (Hons) Football Business & Media at the Etihad Campus – spent a week in Kiev working as a commentator, eventually becoming the voice of the tournament and covering the semi-finals and final with all matches being broadcasted live on Facebook, YouTube and on 18 TV stations across Europe.

Mini Football is the popular short form of the game, and includes five-a-side, six-a-side and seven-a-side with European Mini Football (EMF) acting as the governing body. Here, Jack tells us about his unique experience…

“The time I spent in Kiev, commentating on the EMF EURO 2018, was the best experience of my life. I went into it having little experience of commentating before, so it was literally a case of learning on the job. Once there I was thrown straight in the deep end and handed a microphone. It was a case of just commentating.

“It was the best way to learn and gain confidence as there was definitely nerves in my voice at the start, but what I was about to gain from this experience was beyond anything I could imagine. It wasn’t just about the commentary but also the opportunity of networking with some incredible new people from all walks of life and cultures. It also taught me a lot about myself and what I was capable of doing. The experience also gave me the chance to work with broadcasters from other countries and learn from them.

“It was quite an out-there opportunity to go to Ukraine and do something I’d never done before, but the experience has encouraged me to not turn a blind eye to such opportunities in the future.

“Personally, I would like to thank Mark Staines, president of Team England, and Yair Scher of the EMF, for looking after me whilst there.”